Charles e



(No Modem 0. E. BUTLER.

RIPPING SGISSORS.

No. 581,656. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

tlivitnn rates Aren't GFFICE.

CHARLES E. BUTLER, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

RlPPlNG-SCISSORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,656, dated April 27, 1897.

Application filed August 13, 1896. fierial No. 602,592. (No model.)

to whom, it tncty concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RippingScissors, of which the following is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to a new and useful im provemcnt in ripping-scissors, and has for its object to provide a device of this descrip tion by means of which a seam maybe ripped without care upon the part of the operator to spread the edges of the goods in exposing the stitching and which will greatly facilitate the heretofore tedious operation of separating seams by ripping; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction and operation in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective of my improvement; Fig. 2, a plan view; and 3, a section removing one of the spring-plates, the handle being partly broken away.

In carrying out my invention I provide two plates A and B, which are similar in all respects and are preferably composed of spring material, such as steel or brass, and these plates are secured within the handle 0 in any ordinary manner. Formed upon the outer ends of the plates are guide-strips D and guard projections E, the former projecting from the lower edges of the plates and the latter from the upper edges thereof, and in practice I prefer to so bend the guards as to cause them to present a slightly-rounded cross-section at the point of union with the plates A and B. Secured within the handle between the plates is a stationary scissorsblade 1 by its shank G being driven or set within said handle, and pivoted to this stationary blade at II is a swinging blade I, the latter terminating in a handle J, having a thumb-button K upon its inner end, the spring L serving to hold the swinging blade normally in its open position relative to the stationary blade.

The distance between the two plates A and I3 is regulated by a screw hLwhich is threaded into the latter and provided with a knurled hea'd N, adapted to bear against the plate A and permit the screw to be revolved. This screw also passes through the shank of the stationary blade, which arrangement facilitates the holding of said plates in proper alinement with said blade.

From this description the operation of my improvement will be obviously as follows: A small hole is first made if a seam is to be started other than at the end of the fabric, the point of one of the blades insert-ed within said opening, and the ends of the plates A and 13 also inserted within said opening, so that the strips D will lie below the fabric and the guards E above the same, when by a forward movement of the device with the right hand while the ends of the fabric are held with the left hand the edges of the seam will be pressed sidewise, so as to clearly expose to view the threads which form the stitching, so that it is only necessary to manipulate the blade I by alternately pressing upon the button K and permitting the spring to move said blade in the opposite. direction to sever the threads and thus ripping the seam. The guards E at all times turn the edges of the fabric outward and thus prevent the obscuring of the threads during the operations of the device. The extent to which the edges of the seam are flared or pressed open is determined by the adjustment of the plates A and B, which is regulated by the proper manipulation of the screw N, as before described. From this it will be seen that my improvement greatly facilitates the tedious work of ripping, since instead of having to force the goods apart by the first finger and thumb of the left hand in the effort to expose the threads the ripping-scissors do this by forcing the fabric open by the mere pushing of the handle, thereby exposing said threads without any effort on the part of the operator.

One of the advantages of the construction here shown is that the leverage is greatly in favor of the operations of the scissors in that the distance from the point of said scissors to the pivot-point H is very small relative to the distance from said point to the button K, where the power is applied.

Should at any time the person become wearied in operating the lever J by the thumb, the device may be turned upside down and said lever be operated by the first finger, and this is of considerable importance with dressmakers and others where a large number of seams have to be ripped and the hand of necessity becomes wearied with any one motion.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. A ripping device consisting of two plates, guide and guard strips projecting therefrom, means for adjusting the plates and a pair of scissors located between the plates and supported by the adjusting means, substantially as described.

2. A pair of ripping-scissors, consisting of two plates, a screw for regulating the distance between said plates, a pair of scissors located between said plates, and a handle to which .said plates and scissors are secured, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the plates A and B secured within a suitable handle, a stationary blade also secured within said handle, a swinging blade pivoted to the first-named blade, a spring for holding said swinging blade open, guide-strips projecting from said plates, and guards also projecting from said plates, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4:. The herein-described combination of the handle 0, a stationary blade F secured within said handle,spring-plates A also secured within said handle, a screw M passing through one of said plates and the blade and threaded into the opposite plate, a swinging blade pivoted to the first-named blade, a spring L adapted to hold the last-named blade in its open position, a button K for closing said blade, guide-strips D projecting from the outer ends of the plates, and the guards E also projecting from said plates, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. BUTLER. Witnesses:

S. S.W1LLIAMsoN, OWEN WARD. 

